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The August 16th Palio...
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If you've been regularly receiving my Palio newsletters, you might realize that this time I'm not honoring the winning Contrada (Selva/Forest) by accompanying the text with colors and pics of their jubilant populace celebrating the victory. I'm not doing so because, the local, national and international televisions and radios that broadcasted the event, the tens of thousands of spectators jammed in the square, the more fortunate ones from their privileged view points overlooking the Campo from the windows and terraces and bleacher seats, myself and my wonderful guests that shared the towering emotions and pathos that only the Palio of Siena can bestow, all witnessed Bruco (Caterpillar) win. I'm not doing so because I don't have the strength to do it. I'm not doing so, because deep down I still believe what I saw and what my brain keeps broadcasting over and over in my head. We had won! The Noble Contrada del Bruco had won the August 2019 Palio! The moment our horse Schietta crossed the finish line, I jumped over the barriers and treaded the treacherous track at full speed, my arms swirling and my gaze fixed to the heavens. All I felt like doing was embrace our amazing jockey Andrea Mari aka Brio (Pep) that had managed to win a spectacular race on a second rank horse and then dart off to claim one of the most gorgeous Palio banners all time (Right, painted by world acclaimed artist Milo Manara). I wasn't alone of course, it was a stampede of women, men, boys and girls, a tide of ecstatic people draped in their yellow green and blue scarves united in one great big embrace. We had won the Palio! We had won an amazing Palio! |
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But then the heartless, ruthless cold technological photo finish declared that nothing of this had actually occurred. The riderless Selva horse, the big favorite, just as it had in last year's Palio had bucked off it's jockey and done it again. Creeping uncannily from nowhere like a spirit, it duped us all. The sweet tears of joy suddenly transformed into bitter drops, a flood of incredulous sorrow. It will take me a long while to recover, if I ever will. It's painful. In Italy we say that luck might be blind, but bad luck has the eyesight of a hawk. It's going to be a very long winter...
The video that follows isn't the best quality but I invite you to follow it until the very end. Notice at around 7:04 our Capitano Simone Manganelli, (far left wearing the khaki outfit) shake his head in dismay speechlessly informing us on the outcome.
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Andrea's prophetic words had been "I'll be second to nobody..." He was right! |
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Thanks for sharing my desperation...I will be in touch in a month or so when I'll be commencing the harvest and make the 2019 Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I have a new book in the making too...Hey, if you yet have to read The Year of the Chicory...you can order it on Amazon by pressing the button below. |
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